bar-tailed godwit equipped for climate challenge

The bar tailed godwit is a long-billed, long-legged wading bird which visits UK shores for the winter. Most usually seen in its grey-brown winter plumage, birds in spring may show their full rich chestnut breeding plumage.

The bar-tailed godwit makes the largest no-stop migration, flying a 11,000km journey from Alaska to New Zealand every autumn.It relies on the right type of winds to make this epic journey - winds that computer models indicate could become less favorable in the future.But scientists say the godwit's ability to judge weather conditions means it should rise to the challenge from climate change.

The bird leaves New Zealand in March to fly some 10,000km to feeding grounds in China and Korea. And then in May, the godwit undertakes a 6,000km trip to western Alaska to breed and nest, before returning directly to New Zealand across the Pacific in August/September.